


And so the Olympics begin

by iwriteinpen



Series: Haikyuu Does Handball [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Olympics, Gen, Inspired by Real Events, News Media, Newspapers, Olympics, Professional athletes, Social Media, Sports, Summer Olympics, article, handball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:01:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25507123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwriteinpen/pseuds/iwriteinpen
Summary: The first game of the 2020 Olympics is about to be played, follow the boys as they get ready and play!
Series: Haikyuu Does Handball [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1713979
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	1. The first game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _FIC:_ The locker room the few minutes before their opening game at the Olympics. The rookies are nervous and someone has to step in and make everyone focused on the game.

The locker room is full. 

Full of boys, full of energy, and full of tension. 

They are sitting side by side on the benches against the wall. They can hear the music from the arena they will soon enter through the walls. A few of them glance around. 

Hinata gets up and starts jumping in the corner, just a little bit, shaking his arms as if he is trying to relieve the tension and anxiety in his whole body just through his arms. Kageyama stares into the air. No one speaks. 

Daichi sighs.

“Okay, listen up.” Daichi gets up from his seat next to Kuroo. “You have to relax,” a pointed glare is aimed at the rookies. 

“Your first game is a big deal, I know that,” he looks at Kuroo, with whom he shared his debut game, “but I promise you that it will go so much better if you relax and play like you usually do. Now, this isn’t just your first game. We are opening the Olympics, on home turf. This is without a doubt going to be one of the most special games in all of our careers.” Daichi looks at the more experienced players, Oikawa, Iwaizumi and so on, all nodding along as Daichi speaks.

“So we all want to win this no matter what and I believe that we can. I know you, I’ve seen all of you play, so when I say that we are the best team today, you should trust me. Now, I just need you to calm down and believe as much in you as I do,” Daichi finishes talking.

“WHOOOO!” Bokuto springs up. Akaashi, sitting next to him, has to hold a hand over his ear.

“Sorry,” Bokuto says. “Daichi’s speeches just always get me fired up!” 

“Hell yeah,” Nishinoya joins the standing people.

“Now we gotta go out there and show them that they came to our home and no one beats us here.” Oikawa has a devious look in his eyes, as he stands as well. Iwaizumi rolls his eyes and stands up next to him. Soon every one of the players is standing.  
Ukai opens the door and looks at the team standing in the middle of the locker room. 

“Go line up,” he says and the team files out of the dressing room, Oikawa and Iwaizumi staying behind for just a second. The two stand face to face, before engaging in an elaborate handshake that takes tens of seconds and ends in them shooting finger guns at each other.

“Will we ever stop doing this?” Iwaizumi says, smiling.

“Nope,” Oikawa swings an arm around Iwaizumi, “it’s been here for twenty years, it’s not going anywhere.” He laughs and they walk out to join the others. 

The two find their place in the line. 

Iwaizumi, behind Bokuto, leans back. “You know, I always feel so small standing behind Bokuto,” Iwaizumi says to Daichi.

“How do you think I feel?” Daichi grumbles in return, making Iwaizumi laugh. 

Further back Oikawa has found his place between Yaku and Kenma. The music is much louder in the tunnel than it was in the locker room. Oikawa isn’t able to tell if it’s the bass from the music that is reverberating through his body or if his heart is just beating too loud. 

Their opponents for the day, Egypt, line up next to them. Oikawa looks over, to see just how they measure up. He turns around to face the player behind him.

“Looks like we’ll have the shortest players again today,” he whispers to Yaku. The glare that is sent back makes Oikawa take a step back. Oikawa turns back around, leaving Yaku to stare holes in his back. 

The kids, the ones running with them onto the court, line up in between the teams. A small girl, with her hair in two plaits, stands next to Oikawa. He crouches down to be at eye level with her. 

“Hello, my name is Oikawa Tooru, what’s yours?” he asks her. 

She fiddles with her fingers before whispering, “Harumi” in a small voice. 

“Are you nervous, Harumi?” he says and takes one of her hands in his. The small girl nods.

“That’s okay, me too,” he tells her and her eyes light up. 

“Really?” she asks. 

“Yes, really.” Oikawa nods. “So if you could hold my hand the entire time that would help a lot, can you do that? Please?” Oikawa asks. The little girl nods resolutely and her grip on Oikawa’s hand tightens. 

The music stops, and the Egyptian team is called to run in. They set off and is welcomed with some cheering. The tunnel suddenly feels very small. Oikawa stands back up and looks down on Harumi. She is staring right back. 

“Are you ready?” Oikawa asks. 

“Yes!” she says with much more enthusiasm than she’d had in the beginning. 

The announcer calls on Japan and the team starts to run. The arena erupts in cheers and the sound washes over Oikawa like a breath of fresh air. The team stops, standing in the middle of the court. One by one they are announced, when it is Oikawa’s turn, he waves with the same hand to both sides of the court, the other is still being held by Harumi.   
The Egyptian national anthem plays, a melody that Oikawa has never heard before. Next up is the Japanese national anthem and Oikawa sings softly. He can hear Bokuto’s loud voice and Hinata who is squeaking along to the melody. What he hears the loudest, is the crowd. It feels as if everyone in the arena is singing along, Oikawa feels this as support and his heart swells. 

The song ends and the children are sent off the court. He sends Harumi off with a gentle nudge and a smile. She waves to him all the way out.   
The team huddles together on the side. Arms over each other’s shoulders and heads close together. 

“JAPAAAN!” Daichi yells.

“FIGHT!” the whole team answers and so the Olympics begin. 


	2. Live Updates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _FIC:_ Live updates from the game between Japan and Egypt!

### Game 1: Japan vs. Egypt

1st Minute: The defence of Egypt is wide awake. Akaashi jumps from the backline but the goalkeeper saves. Egypt scores with a fast break. 

3rd Minute: 1:2 Bokuto scores Japan’s first goal. Sawamura and Kuroo are solid in the defence. 

5th Minute: 2:2: Daichi creates an opening in the opposing team's defence and Bokuto uses it to score! A defensive foul gives Egypt a penalty shot. But Tsukishima SAVES!

6th Minute: 3:3 Bokuto shoots again but the ball doesn’t get past the goalkeeper. Tsukishima saves and stops the fast break from the opposing team. Oikawa makes a rare mistake, a misdirected pass gives the other team a goal. A defensive foul gives Japan a penalty shot, specialist Nishinoya steps to the line and scores! 

8th Minute: 4:5 The opposing team scores and leads once again, but Bokuto scores! Hinata Shoyou is too eager to enter the game and Japan receives a two-minute time penalty due to substitution error. The opposing team scores again.

9th Minute: 5:5 Sawamura earns a penalty for Japan, and Nishinoya steps to the line once again aaaand he scores! The opposing team makes a misdirected pass and Japan is on the attack again.

11th Minute: 6:6 A beautiful pass from Oikawa and Hinata scores! A slow defence makes it too easy for the opposing team to score!

13th Minute: 7:6 An extraordinary pass from Oikawa to Sawamura, the goalkeeper saves but Sawamura earns the penalty and Nishinoya scores for the third time from the eleven meter line. 

16th Minute: 9:7 Tsukishima with a great save and Japan is on the move! Nishinoya scores from the right wing! Kuroo blocks in the defence but the ball still finds it way to the goal. On the attack Oikawa finds Sawamura, and he scores!

18th Minute: 8:10 The opposing team scores again, and moves to a more offensive defence! But Akaashi scores with a flick of the wrist. 

19th Minute: 11:8 Oikawa finds a hole in the defence, passes it to Bokuto and he is wide open! He scores! And the opposing team takes a time out.

21st Minute: 11:10 Bokuto gets a two-minute time penalty and Egypt uses this to score. Tanaka steps on the court for the first time and Japan plays with an empty goal. Oikawa shoots but the Egyptian goalkeeper saves. Egypt shoots at an empty goal, and the Japanese coach calls for a timeout.

23rd Minute: 11:11 Tanaka shoots but doesn’t pass the goalkeeper. Egypt takes the chance to even out the score.

25th Minute: 12:12 Egypt gets a two-minute time penalty. Oikawa scores from the center. Kuroo disrupts Egypt’s attack with a solid defensive action, but Egypt gets a penalty shot. Tsukishima doesn’t stand a chance. 

27th Minute: 13:13 Akaashi with a hammer of a shot from the back! But Egypt equalizes immediately 

30th Minute: 15:13 Once again Japan gets a penalty shot and Nishinoya steps up again and scores phenomenally! Sawamura gets a two-minute time penalty in the defence. A technical foul from Egypt and Japan is on the fast break, Bokuto makes a misdirected pass but Nishinoya catches it and scores! Egypt shoots but misses the goal. 

HALFTIME: Japan goes into the halftime with a two-goal lead (15:13). 

The second half is a-go! Kageyama and Oikawa have switched with Kageyama finally on the court.

32nd Minute: 15:14 Ennoshita starts in the goal in place of Tsukishima. The first shot is blocked but the Egyptians catch the rebound and score.

34th Minute: 15:15 Brilliant pass from Kageyama to Sawamura, but the defence commits a foul and Sawamura earns the penalty shot. Nishinoya misses the opportunity to score. Egypt uses the chance to equalize. Hinata misses in the other end.

36th Minute: 17:15 Two minute suspension for Egypt, Bokuto scores again. Egypt makes a misdirected pass and Nishinoya scores with a fast break. Egypt takes a timeout. 

38th Minute: 18:16 Japan leads by two, and goalkeeper Tsukishima is back. Bokuto scores again. 

40th Minute: 19:16 Egypt saves, but makes another misdirected pass. And Hinata scores from the wing.

42nd Minute: 19:16 Japan’s defence stays strong and keeps Egypt from scoring. 

44th Minute: 20:16 Ennoshita saves and Bokuto scores from 11 meters! 

46th Minute: 20:17 Two minute suspension for Kuroo and Egypt uses the majority to score.   
Japan takes a timeout

48th Minute: 20:19 Egypt makes two fast-break goals in a row and Japan’s lead is reduced to one. 

49th Minute: 21:19 Japan widens the lead again with a goal from Kageyama. The Egyptian playmaker’s pass to the pivot fails and Japan is on the attack again.

51st Minute: 22:19: Penalty shot for Japan, this time it’s Tobio Kageyama’s turn. And he scores! 

53rd Minute: 23:20 Egypt scores from the wing, but a defensive foul gives Japan another penalty shot. Kageyama scores again.

55th Minute: Ennoshita saves, but Egypt catches the rebound and score. In the other end, Bokuto scores again. 

57th Minute: 25:21: Egypt makes a misdirected pass, and Kuroo throws the ball in the empty goal.

58th Minute: 26:21 Egypt takes a timeout. Egypt loses the ball and Japan’s Hinata Shouyou scores on a fast break. 

59th Minute: 27:21 Egypt throws the ball over the sidelines and Japan’s Bokuto scores yet again. 

60th Minute: 27:21 Ennoshita saves again and on that, the match ends!

The Japanese take their first victory here at the Olympics with a 27 to 21 victory over Egypt. 


	3. Player Ratings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ARTICLE:_ Handball Expert Haruto Sato rates the players for their performance tonight.

* * *

## Player Ratings

Japan TV’s handball expert, Haruto Sato, grades the Japanese player’s performances after their first game at the 2020 Olympics. 

Japan beat Egypt 27 to 21 in an amazing opening match. This match was as perfect a start to the games as possible.

Sato has praises for almost every single one of the players and, of course, for the coach.

  * Egypt is a relatively unknown force when it comes to handball but they have been up and coming for a few years now. This, however, proved that Japan is just as much “up and coming” in the handball world. It was honestly great to see, Sato says.
  * Bokuto showed his incredible talents today but this game also proved that all of Japan’s players have the capacity to play at this level and step up if needed, Sato adds.



The Japanese defense also receives compliments, especially the defensive efforts of Kuroo Tetsurou and Sawamura Daichi are highlighted with Sato noting that the level of communication and teamwork between those two is “on an incredible level.”

**SATO’S GRADING SCALE**

**6 - Incredible**

**5 - Great**

**4 - Above Average**

**3 - Average**

**2 - Below Average**

**1 - Not great**

**0 - Failed**

**N/A - Less than five minutes of playing time**

_Below follows the grades for each player as assigned by Haruto Sato._

**Tsukishima Kei - 3**

Tsukishima had a save percentage of 17 and had 3 saves overall. The relatively low percentage shows that he did what he had to do, not much more but overall average performance. He did save a penalty shot which just might be what saved him from a 2.

**Ennoshita Chikara - 3**

Ennoshita had a save percentage of 33 and had 4 saves overall. While he has a much higher percentage than Tsukishima, it is also only one save more, in the 2nd half from a tired Egyptian team. Ennoshita didn’t have any incredible jaw-dropping saves, but he, like Tsukishima, saved exactly those shots that he should. No surprises from him today. 

**Yaku Morisuke - 2**

Played around 8 minutes, didn’t score but also didn’t make any mistakes.

**Nishinoya Yuu - 5**

Nishinoya scored 6 goals, in 7 shots, a scoring percentage of 86, four of these on penalties.

The wing player used this game to show us just why he is the penalty specialist, with fun and tricky shots he made it clear that he did not come here just to play; he came to win. Almost everything Nishinoya touched this game turned to a goal. Here’s to hoping he can keep this up. 

**Hinata Shouyou - 4**

Hinata’s first game for Japan was overall a success. He scored three goals in four tries, giving him a scoring percentage of 75. He made a dumb substitution mistake, maybe as a result of his nerves. What he showed today promises great things for the rest of the tournament.

**Bokuto Koutarou - 6 (Man of the match)**

Bokuto scored 9 goals in 10 tries, giving him a scoring percentage of 90. He did get a two-minute suspension, luckily it didn’t impact the game much. 

Bokuto showed us why his cannon of an arm is so important to Japan’s success. Bokuto did whatever he wanted and all the Egyptian defense could do was stand there and watch as Bokuto fired again and again. After tonight there can be no doubt that Bokuto Koutarou is one of the greats. 

**Iwaizumi Hajime - N/A**

Played exactly 0 minutes and therefore cannot be graded.

**Tanaka Ryuunosuke - 2**

Tanaka had one shot but didn’t score making his scoring percentage 0.

An unusually quiet game from Tanaka but not a bad effort, we do expect more in the coming games though.

**Kageyama Tobio - 5**

Kageyama finally played his first game and showed everyone that he is worth the wait. He scored 3 goals in as many tries making his scoring percentage 100. He showed some clever passes, however, it seemed as though there is a possibility for more. We should hope that Kageyama finds the confidence to unfold the complete variety of his talents before the tournament is over. 

**Kozume Kenma - N/A**

Played exactly 0 minutes and therefore cannot be graded.

**Oikawa Tooru - 5**

Oikawa lands on a scoring percentage of 50, with one goal in two tries. While the number of goals is slightly disappointing he did have 4 assists that led to a goal. He is also responsible for keeping the attack on the right track and called several perfect plays throughout the game. 

**Akaashi Keiji - 4**

Akaashi Keiji ends with a scoring percentage of 67. 

He had the first shot of the game but ends up missing, from that point on he only got better though. He took carefully calculated chances and didn’t waste a single second with the ball. Most of his actions were very individual and hopefully, this can change. 

**Kuroo Tetsurou - 5**

The Japanese defense was on the top of their game, largely thanks to this man. The days where our opponents could disregard our defense completely are definitely over. He also managed to score one goal, which is unusual for a player that doesn’t often cross the midline. 

**Sawamura Daichi - 5**

Sawamura “only” scored one goal in today’s match but paved the way for four others. 

He was also integral to the defense. He and Kuroo showed just how important communication and teamwork is when controlling the defense. These two could teach a masterclass on the topic as they seem to be able to communicate silently. 

Overall a great performance.

**Coach Nekomata - 5**

He gave rookies the opportunity to try and fail without punishing them by immediately removing them from the court, not that they messed up in any notable way. The doubts surrounding his picks for the team have thoroughly been disproven. 

Great effort from the coach, one could hope that he would use every player in the games though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you agree with Haruto Sato and his grading of the players for tonight's game? Are you excited for the next game?
> 
> \--
> 
> Follow us on tumblr at [@hqdoeshandball](http://hqdoeshandball.tumblr.com) to see even more content and find the social media posts <3


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